Can't Stop Won't Stop:
A History of the Hip Hop Generation
By Jeff Chang
(St. Martin's Press, 2005)
546 pp. $27.95

Angry Black White Boy,
Or the Miscegenation of Macon Detornay: A Novel
By Adam Mansbach
(Three Rivers Press, 2005)
352 pp. $12.95

Hip Hop Culture
By Emmett Price
(ABC-CLIO, 2006)
348 pp. $85.00 (hardcover)

By Wayne Au

Hip-hop is an undeniable cultural force. It tops radio charts and has been used to sell just about everything: movies, soft drinks, clothing lines, pizza, deodorant, candy, Internet services, beer, sporting events. Whether we like it or not, we hear rap music and experience aspects of hip-hop culture just about everywhere.

It's important for educators to know and understand hip-hop music and culture. As any teacher knows, hip-hop plays an important role in the lives of many of our students. Our kids can be seen regularly rocking their headphones while sitting on the bus, walking down the hallway, or standing on the corner. And as record sales show, a good portion of the beats that are bumping through their brains are hip-hop. If understanding our students is an important part of our teaching, then it is equally critical that teachers understand hip-hop. And because of its massive influence on our culture, hip-hop deserves the critical questioning of educators and students.